Eating during labor

[Anonymous]

Good question - I'm also curious about the policy at Holy Cross. (and whether it's a hospital policy or provider policy)

[Anonymous]

I delivered at Sibley and the nurses turned a blind eye to my eating. (I didn't have an epidural -- I don't know if that makes a difference.) I wasn't very hungry but knew I needed to eat to keep my energy up. Honey sticks were the best -- good energy, no energy fall like with sugar, and easy to eat even when I wasn't hungry.

[Anonymous]

I didn't mind not eating but I hate being thirsty so I drank ginger ale. The nurse didn't care nor did my doctor but the hospital policy was only ice chips. You do not have to follow all hospital policies and treat then like federal laws, though the hospital would love for you to view them that way.

There is no issue eating with an epidural. There is a small risk if you go under general anesethia but not much. People come in for emergency surgery all the time after accidents who obviously had not abstained from eating for 24 hours. General anesethia is also rare for a c-section. You have to have something else going on to be put completely under.

[Anonymous]

We are delivering at Sibley and plan to bring gatorade and light snacks. I believe the nurses turn a blind eye (I wont eat while they're in the room, of course). the only potential problem is that if I have to have an emergency C and need general anesthesia rather than an epidural. Because the chances of this are very slight versus the very real probability that I'll need some sort of sustenance (even if just gatorade) I will do this. If the worst happens, we inform the anesthesiologist of what has been consumed and figure the best way to deal with it.

[Anonymous]

It's my understanding that even if you needed general anesthesia, you'd be OK. Vomiting and aspiration can happen even on an empty stomach, and there's nothing worse to aspirate than pure stomach acid.

[Anonymous]

I ate during labor and had a c-section. The epidural did not work and neither did local anesthesia so I had to have general anesthesia. I am convinced that this was due to the fact that I ate. If I had to do it all over again, I would not eat anything. You never know what might happen-it is just not worth the risk!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I ate during labor and had a c-section. The epidural did not work and neither did local anesthesia so I had to have general anesthesia. I am convinced that this was due to the fact that I ate. If I had to do it all over again, I would not eat anything. You never know what might happen-it is just not worth the risk!

Just curious -- why would eating interfere with the efficacy of an epidural?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I ate during labor and had a c-section. The epidural did not work and neither did local anesthesia so I had to have general anesthesia. I am convinced that this was due to the fact that I ate. If I had to do it all over again, I would not eat anything. You never know what might happen-it is just not worth the risk!

Just curious -- why would eating interfere with the efficacy of an epidural?

It wouldn't.

[Anonymous]

I don't know the actual policy, but I am giving birth at WHC with a midwife and I have been repeatedly told if you are hungry, you should eat! Her guidelines were nothing too heavy and greasy, nothing with aspartame or caffeine, and preference toward non-carbonation (unless the carbonation is really making you feel better). That is just to prevent nausea during the labor. But I think the deal is to eat if you need it, policy be damned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I ate during labor and had a c-section. The epidural did not work and neither did local anesthesia so I had to have general anesthesia. I am convinced that this was due to the fact that I ate. If I had to do it all over again, I would not eat anything. You never know what might happen-it is just not worth the risk!

This statement kind of reminds me of something I witness on a weekly basis: my 4 year old DC watches some movie which has scratches on the dvd, and when it starts to skip, he starts clapping his hands loudly toward the tv, and after a while it moves on to the next scene. He really believes that his clapping makes the dvd stop sticking. It is hilarious, and I wonder at what age he will realize that the clapping has absolutely nothing to do with resolving the skips.

PP, thousands upon thousands of women get epidurals shortly after they are admitted to the hospital in labor, which means that many of them have recently eaten. Having eaten during labor has no bearing whatsoever on whether or not the epidural or spinal works. Women who keep up their energy during labor by eating or drinking as the feel necessary, will have a lower chance of needing a cesarean due to maternal exhaustion.

Ladies, eat if you want or need to! It is outrageous that they are preparing us for an incredibly rare type of surgery (an emergency, requiring GA, without a skilled anesthesiologist available), just because we walk through the door trying to have a baby. Some OBs and all midwives will actually encourage you to eat and drink during labor if you feel hungry or thirsty. They know that it is important for you to stay nourished and hydrated because it is hard, hard work.

[Anonymous]

I was given the option of a light snack - in fact the nurses said I could have any of the popsicles and gram crackers in the kitchenette.

My labor moved so fast though, that hunger was the last thing on my mind.

If you are induced with pitocin, one of the side effects is nausea which is obviously intensified with a full stomach.
But, not everybody feels this side effect, especially if you're already dilated and your cervix is ripe.

[Anonymous]

This is so interesting. I delivered in Japan, at a Japanese birthing center. Eating was allowed during labor; the center's chef even came upstairs to ask me what I'd like to have for lunch that day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is so interesting. I delivered in Japan, at a Japanese birthing center. Eating was allowed during labor; the center's chef even came upstairs to ask me what I'd like to have for lunch that day!

Man, I wish I was having this baby in Japan!

[Anonymous]

I spoke with my sister, who is an OB, about this just last night. Some women vomit during labor (about 7 cm is when this generally starts), so the no eating rule is for that purpose.

[Anonymous]

While I'm no fan of vomiting, I am planning to both eat and drink during my labor regardless of hospital policy. If you've ever done any sort of long-distance athletic event such as a marathon, you know that you'd just collapse if you ran the whole thing without taking in calories during the effort. Same thing with labor. This is an incredibly difficult and rigorous effort. If I'm in labor for 12 or 24 or more hours, even if I don't feel like it, my husband knows to make me get in some calories (even if it's just gatorade) to help stave off exhaustion and keep my energy levels high.

I've heard stories of women who ended up with c-sections because they "were just too exhausted to push any more". I can't imagine that having essentially fasted for 2 days beforehand helped their strength.

I'm not concerned about the anesthesia piece, since as a PP pointed out, people end up in true emergency surgery with anesthesia all the time without having fasted. But, I'll make sure to have a bowl handy in case I do end up vomiting. (fingers crossed that I don't, though!)